Singapore country brief

Bilateral relations

Australia and Singapore have a strong and vibrant relationship. Australia was the first country to recognise Singapore when it became an independent nation in 1965. In 2015, as Singapore celebrated 50 years of independence and Australia and Singapore celebrated 50 years of diplomatic relations, our two countries committed to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) to frame our relationship. The CSP encompasses all aspects of our relationship including trade, defence, science and innovation, education and arts.

Our Prime Ministers meet annually - Prime Minister Lee visited Australia in October 2016 and met the Prime Minister, senior cabinet ministers and the Governor General. Prime Minister Lee also made an address to the Australian Parliament. During this visit, Prime Minister Turnbull and Prime Minister Lee witnessed the signing of an agreement to amend our Free Trade Agreement and MOUs on defence, combatting transnational drug crime and science and innovation. This visit demonstrated practical implementation of the CSP.

Singaporean and Australian cabinet ministers meet regularly – either during bilateral visits to each country or during regional and multilateral meetings. The Singapore-Australia Joint Ministerial Committee (SAJMC) is a biennial high-level conference of Australian and Singaporean Ministers who meet to discuss bilateral trade, defence and security issues. The ninth SAJMC was held in Sydney, Australia on 18 March 2016 and included Foreign, Defence and Trade Ministers from Australia and Singapore.

Trade and investment

The Singapore-Australia Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA) was signed in 2003. It has been upgraded to reflect the increasingly global, competitive and connected business environment. It will further integrate our two economies by locking in access and providing business certainty in trade and investment into the future. The latest updates to SAFTA are currently being considered by the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties.

Defence and security

Australia and Singapore have a strong defence relationship. We hold joint military exercises and our defence forces have personnel exchanges and policy dialogues. A major feature of the relationship is the access to Australian training areas that Australia grants to the Singapore Armed Services. In 2016, Australia and Singapore agreed to enhance and expand training opportunities for Singapore Armed Forces personnel in Australia and signed an MOU to cover this. In addition, Australia and Singapore have signed a range of other MOUs to enhance cooperation including on personnel exchanges, military intelligence cooperation and defence science and technology.

Australia and Singapore are both members of the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA), which is a joint defence arrangement between Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore and the United Kingdom.

Our police forces cooperate closely and have signed MOUs on police collaboration to combat transnational crime and also combat transnational drug crime.

Innovation and Science

Both Singapore and Australia recognise the importance of innovation to create modern and dynamic economies. Singapore is a world leader in building a supportive, flexible environment for emerging businesses and Australia has a world class research system and outward-looking creative, businesses that are ready to collaborate internationally. In 2016 we held the First Australia-Singapore Joint Strategic Dialogue on Innovation and Science and signed an MOU on collaboration in innovation and science.

Australia has located one of its five start-up ‘landing-pads in Singapore to promote innovation and entrepreneurship. This initiative will support Australian companies to take advantage of Singapore’s status as an emerging tech hub, as well as gaining access to the wider ASEAN market.

People to people links

People to people links between Australia and Singapore are strong, encompassing education, tourism and, arts and culture. The Singapore community in Australia stands at over 50,000 people, including more than 7,000 Singaporean students, plus 428,200 Singaporean arrivals from Singapore in 2015-16 which makes it Australia’s fifth largest tourism market.

More than 1,000 Australian students will study and undertake internships in Singapore in the first four years of the New Colombo Plan (2014-2017).

Singapore and Australia are complementary tourism markets and enjoy close commercial links. Our two countries hold regular tourism talks and will sign an MOU to establish a framework for collaboration on research, data-sharing, and market insights.

Australia and Singapore are committed to cultural activities that further develop our people-to-people links. The Australia Singapore Arts Group – a team of arts and culture leaders from both nations – provides a focus for activity and advice and recommendations to support and strengthen arts and cultural engagement between our countries.